Looking after your dog’s nails isn’t going to turn him into a pampered pooch – it’s a health issue.

Most dogs rarely, if ever, need their nails trimmed - walking on hard surfaces, such as the pavement, will naturally wear down the nails. However, untrimmed nails can break, bleed or even grow into the feet, causing your dog a lot of discomfort.

Hearing a 'click-click-click' as he walks on hard floors is the most obvious sign that your dog's nails need a clip. And once you learn how to do it, clipping your dog's nails is as easy as clipping your own.

• Sit on the floor with your dog, or make yourself comfortable. Only use nail trimmers that have been specifically designed for dogs - and ensure they are sharp. Your vet or groomer may recommend one.
• Hold your dog's paws firmly in your lap and push on the pads lightly to make the nail stick out. Starting at the end of the nail, clip at a 45-degree angle with the cutting end of the clipper towards the nail. Be very careful to avoid the nail quick, which on white nails is the pink section. With dark nails, trim very thin cuttings off the end until the nail is shorter. If you see a black dot in the centre of the nail, you have got to the quick and should stop cutting immediately.
• The quick contains nerves and blood vessels that will bleed easily when nicked. If you do cut the quick, apply pressure with a cotton ball and don't brush off the blood clot when the bleeding has stopped. Consult your vet if the bleeding continues.
• Remember to trim the dewclaw nail, which is located on the inside of the leg. If left untrimmed, they curl up and grow into the soft tissue like an ingrown toenail.
• Trim the nails preferably once a week, but at least twice a month. The more your trim them, the easier it becomes. And it's better to take off small amounts more often than to remove large portions every once in a while.

• Teach your dog nail trimming from an early age. Play 'pretend trimming' by touching the feet then rewarding your dog with a favourite treat.
• You can use a normal nail file to file the soft toenails of puppies or older dogs with brittle nails, as this is unlikely to cause pain or bleeding.
• Animals that have no reason to fear the procedure will also require the least restraint and have the least stress. However, it is a good idea to get dogs used to at least some restraint (hugging, holding a leg, applying slight pressure to the toes) - again with ample rewards.
• If this becomes too much of an ordeal and the stress or fear of injury is preventing you from necessary tasks like trimming, ask a groomer or a vet for assistance.